DREAM RUT

Shimabukuro offers a brief illustrated parable about finding the path to your dreams in this motivational guide.

The author opens her nonfiction debut (beautifully illustrated by Deng) with the story of a little girl “scattering sprinkles” on the cupcakes she’s just made and deciding that she wants to open the world’s best bakery. She embarks on the path to reach this goal, naturally encountering obstacles along the way. This gives Shimabukuro the narrative framework to clarify such journeys for her readers, regardless of the dream they’re chasing. As those readers are drawn through the story by the book’s lovely full-color illustrations, the author offers advice: “Actively engage and listen to your dream so that you can communicate better and learn,” reads one such passage.” Shimabukuro also offers her readers gentle, prompting questions, like “What possibilities do you see between where you are and the horizon?” These are helpful for establishing reflective landmarks throughout the brief story. The narrative is never a pre-ordained triumph—the girl is often unsure of herself: “Her abundance of abilities and passion had failed to ignite a breakthrough,” readers learn after one setback. “Like a shooting star, she could feel herself burning bright before disappearing.” This narrative approach serves to highlight both the author’s winning empathy and her pragmatic view of working toward a goal. In careful, well-informed prose, she counsels readers about ways to reach their goals and to deal with the parameters of those goals changing over time. The soft-spoken wisdom and unflagging encouragement in these pages make this a good option for readers dealing with frustration, or for students just starting out in life and wondering whether they’ve got the courage to pursue their ambitions.

An uplifting and visually stunning motivation for readers to follow their dreams.